Author Archive for: meiling

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 19:1-15.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 19:1-15 (NIV)
1  Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”
2  And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, “The king is grieving for his son.”
3  The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle.
4  The king covered his face and cried aloud, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

On verses 1-15:  It was a complicated situation for David.  On one hand, he had just lost his son.  On the other hand, because that son had committed the highest act of treason and was bent on killing the king, David did mobilize his troops to go to war against that son.  So while it was natural and expected for David to grieve for his son, it was complicated by the fact that Absalom was an enemy whose death, under normal circumstances, would have been a cause for rejoicing.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 18:19-33.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 18:19-23 (NIV)
19  Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me run and take the news to the king that the LORD has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.”
20  “You are not the one to take the news today,” Joab told him. “You may take the news another time, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”
21  Then Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off.
22  Ahimaaz son of Zadok again said to Joab, “Come what may, please let me run behind the Cushite.” But Joab replied, “My son, why do you want to go? You don’t have any news that will bring you a reward.”
23  He said, “Come what may, I want to run.” So Joab said, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

On verses 19-23:  Joab chooses a Cushite to deliver the news about Absalom’s defeat to King David.  But Ahimaaz really wants to run and try to deliver the message as well, even though there was no monetary reward he could get for it (v22).  Ahimaaz keeps politely asking Joab for the opportunity to run and when Joab lets him run, Ahimaaz ends up outrunning the Cushite (v23).

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 18:1-18.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 18:1-4 (NIV)
1  David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
2  David sent the troops out–a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the troops, “I myself will surely march out with you.”
3  But the men said, “You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won’t care about us. Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city.”
4  The king answered, “I will do whatever seems best to you.” So the king stood beside the gate while all the men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands.

On verses 1-4:  David organizes his troops and volunteers to personally march out with them, but David’s men tell David, “You must not go out…Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth ten thousand to us.” (v3)  So David stands beside the gate while his troops go out and fight Absalom’s army in the forest, many of them giving their lives for David’s cause (v4-8).  

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 17:15-29.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

2 Samuel 17:15-22 (NIV)
15  Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so.
16  Now send a message immediately and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords in the desert; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.'”
17  Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A servant girl was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city.

On verses 15-22:  Hushai has a message for King David that will save his life.  But notice how many people were involved in getting this life saving message to King David:

1. Hushai tells the priests Zadok and Abiathar (v15)
2. Zadok and Abiathar tell a servant girl (v17)
3. The servant girl tells Ahimaaz and Jonathan (who were the sons of Zadok and Abiathar respectively) (v17)